In a clinical examination, for example, if a minute amount of detection target substance such as protein or DNA contained in a sample can be quantitatively detected with high sensitivity, a condition of a patient can quickly be recognized for treatment. Therefore, various detection apparatuses for quantitatively detecting a minute amount of detection target substance with high sensitivity have been developed.
In such a detection apparatus, normally, a user himself/herself introduces a sample into a container for receiving a sample (hereinafter also referred to as “sample holding well”), the container being set inside the detection apparatus. After the end of detection target substance detection, a sample (remaining sample) not used for the detection target substance detection and the sample holding well that holds the sample are removed from the detection apparatus and disposed of by the user. From the perspective of introduction of a sample, it is preferable that the sample holding well include a large opening. However, if the area of the opening of the sample holding well is large, a sample sometime spills or splatters from the opening part of the sample holding well when the sample holding well is removed from the detection apparatus or moved. Therefore, there has been a demand for provision of a method, a detection system and a detection apparatus that allow safe collection of a remaining sample and a sample holding well.
In response to such demand, detection apparatuses each including a mechanism that automatically collects a remaining sample and a sample holding well have been proposed (PTL 1 and PTL 2). Also, attaching a disposal box for disposing of all parts in contact with a sample to a detection apparatus has been proposed (PTL 3).